Record-controlled musical instrument



' 1,613,501 2 T. F. CHEEK RECORD CONTROLLED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT FiledNov. 5, 1920 2 Sheefis-Sheet 1.

INVEI'ITOH 72L BERT FCHEEK MLJL/Y ITTORII Jan. 4, 1927.

I T. F. CHEEK RECORD CONTROLLED MUSICAL! INSTRUMENT Filed Nov. 5, 1920 2Sheets-Sheet 2 IIlVEI/TOR Patented Jan. 4, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TOLBERT F. CHEEK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE WELTE MIGNONCORPORA- TION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

RECORD-CONTROLLED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Application filed November 5, 1920.

This invention relates generically to means for controlling the volumeor pressure of air acting on the devices which produce the tones inmechanically operated musical instruments and more particularly tocertain improvements in that type of record-controlled musicalinstruments which has pressure controlling mechanism comprising elementscorrelated to permit the tension of the air at the striker action to bevaried in accord with the dynamic force with which the strikerpneumatics are to be operated at any time and to maintain said tensionwhether one pneumatic is operated alone or any number of pneumatics areoperated together.

A fundamental object, of the invention is to provide means whereby awhole musical selection or any part or parts of a selection may berendered louder or softer at will.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a tensiongoverning and reguga ting means "for a record-controlled musicalinstrument, which tension governing and regulating means will include agoverning and regulating valve and means for rendering said valveeflective and inel'l'ect-ive, at will.

Another of the important objects of the invention is to provide arecord-controlled musical instrument with means having a plurality oi?valves for controlling the pneumatic tensions in different portions ofthe striker action, respectively, and a common humanly controllableoperating means for said valves.

..\nother of the important objects of the invention is to provide arecord-controlled mu- .s'iflill instrument with a plurality ofco-operative means for governing or regulating the tension of the air atthe striker pneumatics. one of said means being humanly operable andacting to change or modify the volume oi" sound which otherwise would beproduced under control of the other means, vithout at the same timechanging the relative strengths of the tones.

A further important object of the inveni to provide a record-controlledmusical .dlftlllltilll'. oi? the type employing a valve ble in ditlerentpositions with relation to its port to correspondingly regulate thetension of the air at the striker action and also provided with agoverning means acting with relation to the valve to maintain Serial'N0.421,821.

said tension regardless of the number of notes sounded simultaneously,with a humanly controllable means whereby the dyinamic force consequentupon the setting of the regulating valve at any position may be variedwithout altering the position of said valve with relation to its port.

Another object is to combine and co-ordinate the several elements hereindisclosed so they effectively perform the functions set forth.

In the drawings in which like references refer to like parts in theseveral views:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing one embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail of the control valve.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail showing one of the pneumatics forcontrolling the volume of air which actuates the player action.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing an alternative construction of apneumatic for controlling the volume 0L air which actuates the play raction.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the instrument is provided with the usualtracker bar over which the perforated music sheet travels as it is woundup on the feed roller 11. The tracker bar ,is connected by suitableconduits (usually eighty-eight in number) not shown, with the usualstrike pneumatics indicated conventionally at 12. There is one pneumatic12 corresponding to each conduit leading from the tracker bar and theyare selectively operated according to the perforations in the musicsheetin a manner well known in this art. The pneumatics 12 are alloperativcly connected with the common windchest 13 which in thestructure illustrated is divided by a wall 14 into two chambers 15 and16. The chamber 15 communicates with the set or group of strikepneumatics in the bass section and the chamber 16 communicates with theset or group of strike pneumatics in the treble section. Conduits l7 and17 communicate with my improved volume control or tension varyingmembers indicated generally by 20 and 20. The con struction andoperation of the members 20 and 20 is identical and the description ofone will apply to both. The parts on the treble side will. bear the samereference characters with a prime mark added.

The member 20 is formed with a box like portion 21 having two chambers22 andc28 i spectivelv vvith th chain 92- A u in Fig. 3) tends .{iiij aK 2 led i U c not be '12; spring Ill (shovvn dotte uormallv to lteep t1e and the :-'.lt'l'i0ll in caamhers 2 and 23 tends to collzipse sbellows when the valve 2t;

r hereinafter set forth. '1 1e mover rent of th* bellovvs 3O actuates aregulating" valve 32 which is hingedly secured at 3 '0 an in erio'rvvall il of the beilovvs. A. clip 35 lied to the Wall 36 ot the bellowshas a uger engaging a heel. 231' in the val 32 shovvn best in Fig. 3.

i is a conventional representation of a suitable source of ovv'er forproducing the air-urrents vcithin the system. e of power may he of anysuitable nature and cmistruction those which operate upon the suctionpi.'incipl.ei. e. to reduce the pressure of the air in the system toises the i i 1 all (.71

beloiv that of the atmosphere being preterred. it customam tor thispurpose to employ suitably operated suction pump,

.rhamber '41P) formed tuber 4-3 of maid gate- 1 ruigh a duct 71 in a cox his \viih a chamber (m Whirh is indicated iarther provided v nitrolmember,

iih chambers 6-2 and (its. The chamber (it; is separated from thechamher as h a pouch or diaphragm (38 which is engaged with one en:valve stem and To in the cham- (17 having valve dish This chamber {ithas an atmospheric hifr (Si. port T1} to he opened and closed by thevarve dish. and a suction pa -t ill" to he opened and closed bv thevalve r it also has a port I13 through which i con'miunieates with theueuniatio 61 having:

' expand it. The movie is connected 2h when the pneuand to open saidvalve when the pneumatic 3i is expantled.

will be noted that when the parts are e position hown in Fla. 1. thechamoer v the atmosphere and is closed aea nst the suction in chamber(35. Pump matic G1 is in QUHSQQllCLLx subjected to equal pressure.(atmospheric) acting upon oppoof its movable boa d and is held site soes expanded the valve 26 is open, as shovvn.

In order to close said valve the stem (5? is lifted by diaphragm (38therein opening by its $1 ring (32. At this time,

tlud the suction port 73 and closing; the atmospheric port '73. This isactomplished by the admi, :ion ot atmospheric air to charnl or it Thischan'ber connected by a tube Tl; to a control valve 80 which is humanlyconolled. i. e. is under control or" an operaive (21:;clmlradistinguished iiiom the record which controls the strikerpneumatics). it is here shown as adapted tor hand operation. This valveincludes a tllSt} tl. with a port formed therein. The disc 81 is inclosed position in l i "When it i c by turning the handle 83 to which11:5 secur ed. the port 82 will come into reg er n'iti the aperture T5in the duct l1- thus lishiz gr conniinnication oi? the duct Tl vvhichopen to atmosi 1 "with the pipe will be noted that the valve 26 ot thenber Q0 and the valve 26 of the member are connected with each other bthe stem LT and tl'rat said valves are so arranged with relation totheir l'eltiPQtfitlVC ports that they are opened sinuiltaneouslv andclosed sinuiltanemisl v under control. or the described humanlycontrollal means common thereto.

In Fig. l I have shown a slightly modified form of volume control unit2') which is adapted to be installed with its longitudinal rxis verticalinstead o'l, horizontal as in Fig. l. l' v ith this arrangement theoperating rod 2? is bent at right angles as at 2T :lorming a shortvertical arm as shown. to which is secured the valve ere which in thiscase slides on the upper surface of the wall 253. ft spring 26 serves tohold the valve yielding!- iv in vvorltinp contact vsith the all 525.The.

lateral mover; cut of the rod 2? \vi 1 more the valve to close or omired. this rod being a the From the foreuoln r it will be 2 ii theplayer mshes to render a porlio: ol a sele tion sol'ter vihen the partsa c in the position shown in Fig.1. 1

s .1011. lh's turu:-

handle 13 to its other po the valve F ll so that port 5- 15 eonuei H ard til. the latter b ing open to phere and the former b connect chamber(56. ltmosphe i diaphragm 68 then lifts the va thus closing portmunication hetvveen chambers permitting the suction tron fit) lows (31and thereby move the rod 27 to the right thereby moving the valves 26and 26 from the open position shown in Fig. 1 to the closed positionshown in Fig. 3.

This cuts oil? the comnumication between chan'ibers 22 and 23 by way ofthe port and all air exhausted by the pump it) now passes through theports 28 and i3!) and 2S and 29 causing the bellows to 15 artiallycollapse against the action of the spring 31.

This causes the regulating valve 32 to partially close the port 29resulting in cutting down its area and ctmsequentl y cutting down thevolume of air exhausted from the player action 15 with the result thatless force is exerted on the striker pneumatics and therefore softertones are produced. To render the selection louder the player shifts thehandle 83 to the other position thereby closing the pipe 74. andpermitting the bellows 61 to move the rod 27 and operate the valves 26and 26 so that the normal full. volume of air will be exhausted from theplayer action by the pump as will be understood from the drawings andthe above description.

The foregoing forth preferred embodiments of one part of this invention.An additional, but. a. very important feature of the invcntimi is in theuse of the described volmac-control means in COIijllHCi'lOfi with anexpression-inechanisin and in a relationship between the said expressionmechanism and the volume-control means such that the musical compositionbeing played, or any selected section thereof, may be rendered with thefull strength primarily intended or SOftOHGCl. at the will of the0])01HtiVO, without eliciting the relative strength of the various toneswhich result in giving expression. in other words, an in'iportantfeatru'e of this invcntmn is the employment of the describedvolmne-control means as a part of a ten ionregulating andpressuremaintaining system wh ch system includes, in addition to thesaid volume-control means, mechanism operative under control. of therecord to so control the tension of the air at the striker pneumatirsthat the resulting tones will bear the cx i'e.--s.ve relationship toeach other called for by a proper and artistic rendition of theconmositiou being played, and which system, moreover, by reason of itsinclusion of the described voluine-,ontrol means may. at the will of theoperative, be controlled to vary the volume of the tones emitted, withrelation to the. entire composition being played or with relation to anyselected partthereof, while still retaining the relative strengths oitone c mtrollcd by the record.

it will be undcn-itood that the statement made with rel a on to themechanism in corn iuncti on with which the herein describedvole.me-control means is employed has referen e to that type ofplayer"mechanisms in which not only are the notes sounded in their knownin the art and this invention is not confined to the use of. anyparticular detail form of such mechanism. In a general way they may hedescribed as including a valvular member which is settable to variouspositions with relation to a windway between the striker pneumatics andthe source of power to thereby variably determine the tension of the airat the strikerpneumatics and the resulting volume of tone emitted; anexpression member which is operated under control of the record (throughthe medium of expression apertures in the tracker board and anexpression action connected with said apertures and with the expressionmember) to set the valve in its various positions to vary the strengthof the tones accordingly; and a tension-regulating member which isoperative with relation to the valve to mainain the strength of thetones predetermined by the setting of the valve, regardless of thenumber of notes played simultaneously. An example of such mechanism isfound in Patent No. 1,008,291 issued November 7, 1911 to E. \Velte andH. Bockisch and the one herein illustrated is substantially identicaltherewith, the VVelte-Bockisch mechanism having been selected forillustration for the reason that it has been found to be eminentlysatisfactory in use and also because it is very well adapted for use inthe present system which includes, in addition to mechanism of the typeexemplified by the Veile- Bockisch patent referred to, a volume controlmeans so correlated with the said mechanism that the two will constitutea single system having a plurality of regulating means in dividuallyusable in the system at the will of the operator.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing which illustrates an expressionmechanism sub stantially identical with the said \Veltr mckischmechanism, it will be noted that for each group or set of strikerpneumaticsas the bass scale and treble scale, for examplethere is aslide valve. (47 or 47) an expression bellows, (50 or 50) and a tensionmaintaining (regulating) bellows, or 51) and that each slide valve isconnected with the movable board of the corresponding regulating bellowsby a ca (18 or 48') which passes over a sheave (51-) or 19) carried bythe movable board oi the corresp mding expression bellows. In such aconstruction. as well. known, the exprefision meme bers- 50, 50 arecontrolled. by the record, through the medium of an expression action(not shownl and primarily control the tension of the air at thecorresponding set or group of striker pneumatics by setting the\alvula-r members 47, 47 in such relation to the ducts forming parts ofthe windways hetween the source of power and the sets or groups ofstriker neumatics, respectively, that the passage of the air will berestricted to a greater or less extent in accordance with the strengthof the tones to be emitted. l is also well known that in such inechanisnthe regulating pneumatics (51 or 51), respectively. are detiatcd more orless in accordance with the tension GXlStll'lg in the correspondingwindwa vs, whereby their springs (51 or 51) are put undercorrespondingly greater or less tension and thereby become efi ective toopen the valves ll. 47, respectively, when the tension is reduced by theoperation of the striker pneumatics and to an ntent which accords withthe number of striker pneumatics operated simultaneouslv. the valves.however. alwavs returning to the positions predetermined h the extent ofdetlation ot the expression hellows, respectivelv. The expressionmechanism described is completely operative as a. pressure controllingand tension maintaining means and the results obtainable from its useare accurate reproductions of the interpretation of the artist, w iichinterpretation has hecn embodied in the record: but since musical tasteairy, there are certain renditions. either of an entire composition or01 certain portions thereof. which some lis toners would prefer tosoften, without. however. changing the relative strengths of the tonespredetermined luv the record. and to this end a volume-control means,such as that hereinbetore described. has been provided as an additionalor sup 'ilemental part of the air-controlling system. and the volumecontrol means has been placed under control of the operative so that hemay. at will. hy :uljustuient ot a control element, 'cnder saidvolume-control means effective. as for sott playing, or inetl'ective as"for loud playing.

Thus it will be noticed that the chamhers 2'2. 22 of the volumeci'iutrol members 20. 20" are connected with the wind passages 1- '16 otthe striker actionhy ducts 17, 17; that the chambers :23, L3 of saidvolume control members are connected with the source of power it). h)ducts l6. 4-6. chambers ll, i l, a chamber l3. a chamher and a duct ll.all opening one into the other. and terming parts ot the windwavsbetween the strike pneuamticsv and the source ol power. it will also benoticed that the val vcs 4:. -57. respectively. control these windwavsand that the regulating meumatics :31. 5'1 and also the pneumatics ,0.30 are ope 'ativelv related to the wiudi'avs. The correlation o t partsaccordingly such that the air drawn i either section 15 or it; of thewind chest 13 will he restricted by the correspond ing valve t? or i? inaccordance with the extent to which the corresponding bellows 50 or 51,has been collapsed and that when the control valves 26, 26, are closedthe pneuniatics 30. 30 will be under the tension which exists in therespective wind passages and will l e collapsed more or less inaccordance with the particular positions to whicl the valves 5-? havebeen set under control oi the record. Collapse o't either of thesepneumatics 3t 30 correspomlingly moves its valve 332 or 3L to\ 'ard ac1os5ngposition with relation to the corresponding ports 21'). 29 sothat the valve thus moved new acts lhe corresponding windwa and hence toreduce the volume of sound below that which occurs when the windways arecontrolled only b the valves all, el without however, aliecting therelative strength oi the tones, since the valves -7 are still operativeto control such relative strengths. On the other hand, when the valves26. 26 are open the flow of the air will be bv-passed, or will pass by.the pneumatics without substantiall v acting upon the same. so that thetension to which the latter is suhjected will be substantiallvinetlective to collapse them. Henci. the volumes of tones will be thosepredetermined by the settings of the valves i7, i7 without furtherrestriction. Since the regulating PIlQllll'ltlilCS 51 and 51 depend tortheir operation upon the tension of the air in the windways, resectively, and since proper regulation calls for an instantaneousresponse to every change in tension, it is undcsi able to rely uponthese pneumatics (51. 51) to ellect the regulation when the flow of airhas been further restricted. It will be noted, however, that thepneumatics 30, 30, are much smaller and hence correspondingly weaker.than the pneumatic 51. Sr and when the 'alves 26, 26 are closed will inconjunction with taeir valves 32", be operative to e'tl'ect the ncessary regulation with relation to the w iakened tension existing atthis time.

ll hile I ha e illustrated a typical embodiment of the invention, andwhile I have shown and described a particular application thereof inwhich there are a plurality ol groups or sets of striker pneuiuatics.one con'iprising the bass scale and the other the treble scale, it villbe tllipillCllt that; these are to be considered as beingmerelysuggestive. and that the invention ina he otherwise and variouslyeuihodicd. and that the uuiuhcr of notes in a group or set is notmaterial. since there may he only one such-- in fact. that all the noteso! the piano may be regarded as a cioup or set aud since It. A

lhere may it fit is common practice. however, to separate the treblescale from the has: scale and to rovide separately controlled expressioniechanisnis therefor, and hence I have so i lstrated the inventionwithout, however. in-

tending by the use of the term group or set of striker pneumatics, orany equivalent term, in this description or in any of the claims, unlesssuch term is otherwise qualified therein, to restrict to any particularmember or scale oi striker pneumatics included in such term.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a record controlled musical instrument, a source of power, strikerpneumatics, an expression pneumatic under control of the record, aregulating valve, a regulating pneumatic having a flexible connect-iontherewith, a mechanical connection between said expression pneumatic andthe flexible connection connecting the regulating pneir matic and theregulating valve, an additional regulating pneumatic, a valve controlledby the latter, means under control of the operator to render the lattervalve effective or ineli octive at will, and means, including the saidregulating pnenniatics, forming a windway which connects the source ofpower with the striker pneumatics and is controlled by the said valves.

2. In a record controlled musical instrument, a source of power, a groupor set of striker pneumatics, means forming a windway between the sourceof power and said group or set of striker pneumatics, a plurality ofregulators of different characteristics both connected to said windway,and a humanly controlled means operative with relation to the windway toby-pass the air around one of the regulators.

3. In a record controlled musical instrument, a plurality of wind chestsand a source of power, a duct connection leading from the source ofpower and having branches to each wind chest, a plurality of regulatorsof dili'erent cl'iaracteristics connected to and arranged to control theduct connection to each wind chest, pneumatic means and a humanlycontrolled means for by-passing the air around one of the regulators ofone of the ducts.

4C. In a record controlled musical instrument, a plurality of groups orsets of striker Pneumatics; a source of power for the groups or sets ofstriker pneumatics; a plurality of members for the groups or sets ofstriker pneumatics, respectively, each member having a plurality ofchambers and provided with an opening through which its chambers havedirect comn'iunication with each other and a valve operatively relatedto said opening, and also having a regulator pneumatic, ports throughwhich said pneumatic has communication with both of said chambers andregulator valve operatively related to one of the latter )orts; aconnection between the first mentioned valves of the members; a motorpneumatic operatively related to said connection and operative thereonto open said valves simultaneously and to close them simultaneously; andhumanly operative control means tor said motor pneumatic.

5. The combination with a source of power, groups or sets strikerpneumatics, and separate record controlled expression devices for eachoi the groups or sets of striker pneumatics, respectively, of aplurality of volume regulating control members operatively reiatcd toeach or the expression devices respectively, an operating means commonto one of said members oi? each set, and a humanly operative controlmeans operatively related to said op mating means.

6. The combination with a source oi power, groups or sets of strikerpneumatics, means forn'iing a \vindway between the source of power andthe groups or sets of striker pneumatics, respectively, and lGCOltcontrolled expression devices for the groups or sets of strikerpneumatics, respectively, and operatively rela'ed to the windway: oi? aplurality of volume regulating control members for each expressiondevice, one member oi each set having a plurality of chambers andprovided with an opening through which the chambers have directcommunication with each other and a valve operatively related to saidopening, and also having a regiiilator pneumatic, ports through whichsaid pneumatic has communication with both of said chambers and aregulator valve operatively related to one of said ports; a connectionbetween the first mentioned valves of the members; an operating meansoperatively related to said connection and operating thereon to opensaid valves simultaneously and to close them simultaneously; and humanlyoperative control means for said operating means.

7. In a record controlled musical instrument, a source of power, strikerpneun'iaties, a plurality of chambers, means through which th chambershave communication with the source of power and the stril-zerpneumatics, respectively, a valvular member, an expression member undercontrol of the record and operating to set the valvular member inaccordance with the tension to be produced at the striker pneumatics, aregulating pneumatic operative with relation to said valvular member tomaintain the tension for which the same has been set, rcgardless of thenumber of striker pneumatics operated simultaneously, a secondregulating pneumatic, ports through which the latter pneumatic hasconnnunication with said chambers, respectively, a valve under controlof the second pneumatic and controlling one of said ports, a portthrough which the chambers have communication with each other outsidethe second regulating pneumatic, and means under control of theoperative to open and close the latter port.

8. In a record controlled musical instrument, a plurality of groups orsets of striker neumatics; a source of power for the same; a pluralityof members, each having a plurality of communicating chambers, aregulating pneumatic having communication with both chambers and a valvecontrolled by the pneumatic and in turn controlling communication of thepneumatic with both chambers; each member also having a valve to controlcon'imunication of its chambers with each other outside its pneumatic;means to sin'iultaneously open and simultaneously close the lastmentioned valves to render the regulating pneuinatics simultaneouslyinetlective simultaneously eti'ective, means through which one chamberof each said member has connection with the source of power and theother chambers of the respective members have communication with thecorre=ponding sets or groups of striker neumatics; and additionalregulating means which are operative when the first regulating means areineffective.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set in hand at the borough of 1"anhattan, city, county and State of New York, this Qlst day oi Gctober.19:20.

TOLBERT F. CHEEK.

